Cargo Collective March 2011

STA recommend -

Bearsuit - The Phantom Forest
Fortuna Pop! LP / CD
Bearsuit return with an off-the-wall pop masterpiece and a fierce new sound incorporating dirty synths, urgent guitars and infectious beats. Produced by Gareth Parton (The Go! Team, Breeders, Foals).

Alright The Captain - Snib
Field Records CD
Alright The Captain take a shared love for bands like Hella, Holy Fuck and Primus come out bursting out with a chaotic and frantic sound.

The Rock Of Travolta - Fine Lines
Big Red Sky CD
Oxford Post-Rock originators The Rock Of Travolta return with the blistering and beautifully-crafted, ‘Fine Lines’; a perfect equilibrium of power and fragility, motion and melody

Cargo Collective December 2010

Cargo Collective November 2010

STA Recommends...

Harmonious Bec
Her Strange Dreams
Monotreme CD
Japanese duo ‘ZaMaRoo’ and ‘from Vapor To Water’ debut with their dazzling dreamscape of intriguing, eclectic electronica. RIYL: DJ Shadow, Múm, BoC, Clouddead, FourTet ,The Books.

Snowblink
Long Live
Fire Records LP / CD
Recently back from a US tour opening for Owen Pallett, Snowblink's debut album Long Live offers shadowy folk-pop with hints of Animal Collective and Phil Spector.

Heirs
Fowl
Denovali CD / LP
Reverb soaked guitars, crackling electronics and deadpan dark-wave meditation create an abstract dronescape of industrial dirge and metallic ambience coalesced into an ambitious whole.

Cargo Collective October 2010

STA Recommends

Shrag
Life! Death! Prizes!
Where Its At Is Where You Are CD
SHRAG are "bringing analytical attitude to the debased trade of pop and serving it up with bulldozing portions of raw guitar noise" MARVELLOUS

DD/MM/YYYY
Black Square
Invada CD
A hybrid of Devo, Melt Banana, Janes Addition, Fugazi and the math rock genre mixed in a blender. Noise rocks by way of an amalgamation of influences.

Her Name Is Calla
The Quiet Lamb
Denovali CD
"…there can be no denying that Her Name Is Calla are one of the most daring, unconventional bands the UK has to offer right now." (Drowned in Sound)

Shield Your Eyes
Theme from Kindness
Function LP/CD
Like a stack of classic rock and blues tapes slit into pieces and reassembled Via some fragmented rhythmic interplay into something mind-bogglingly fresh and unique.

Cargo Collective September 2010

Recommends:

The Pipettes
Earth VS. The Pipettes
Fortuna POP! LP / CD
Utterly infectious full-on pop perfection from another galaxy, mixing Seventies disco Studio 54 sounds with the motorik Euro pop of the Eighties.

Calories
Basic Nature
Tough Love LP+CD / CD
Calories 2nd album combines strong melodic hooks with frenetic noise, recalling such underground titans as Hot Snakes, Cap ‘N’ Jazz & No Age.

Cargo Collective August 2010

Cargo Collective July 2010

STA Recommends:
Kasper Rosa
EP 2
Field CD
EP2 - is an intricate and epic journey that combines the best of post-rock, prog and rock, which leaves you with something undeniably addictive and beautiful.

Cats and Cats and Cats
If I'd Had an Atlas
Function CD
Brilliant debut album of uplifting, anthemic, folk pop picking up where early EP’s Sweet Drunk Everyone & Victorialand left off. The musical culmination of everything good you can say about Mew & Arcade Fire.

Cargo Collective June 2010

LaFaro - Debut Album On Sale Today!

Today is a proud day in STA towers - we on this the 10th May 2010 release our 70th title on Smalltown America Records!

We couldn't be happier to mark this milestone with the self titled rawk behemoth from our favourite rock 'n' roll wrecking crew LaFaro >>>

KKKK - "...a thing of rampant power and joy. With a devotion to dirty groves and clobbering, belligerent riffs that boast more bite than Pac-Man on a dot gobbling binge..."

8|10 RockSound - "...rocks with a ferocious, frenetic spirit few bands could rival, and the lyrics are ace throughout."

Irish News - "...a short sharp shock of heavy, abrasive grunge rock carved from big dumb riffs, savage caveman drumming and the rantings of an evil old pervert."

Available now from all your local record stores as part of the May Cargo Collective.

Buy Online Now from >>>> Smalltown America

Cargo Collective May 2010

LaFaro's S/T debut is included in this month's Cargo Collective which means that anyone in the locality of a good indie store should trek along there and pick it up at a bargain price as well as investigating the other 11 excellent titles this month

Cargo Collective April 2010

Cargo Collective February 2010 starring The Letters EP

Cargo's John Dryland Interviewed On BBC 6Music

The guest on BBC 6Music's Tom Robinson's Introducing show overnight was Cargo Records' John Dryland with his expert guide on how to distribute your records. Listen hear on the iPlayer.

Cargo Collective Best Of 2009

Cargo Collective December 2009

Cargo Collective November 09

Courtesy Group
Tradesman Entrance
Ma Doocey CD
"Visceral debut from Brummagem grinesters beloved of Messrs Cooper Clarke & Peel, ("Strong spikey stuff I'd say!").

Githead
Landing
Swim
Githead is a group whose members are Colin Newman (Wire), Malka Spigel and Max Franken (Minimal Compact) and Robin Rimbaud (aka Scanner). ‘Landing’ is their third album of sparkling, sophisticated and adventurous avant-pop, striking a unique balance between convention and subtle experimentation.

Jello Biafra & The Guantanamo School Of Medicine
The Audacity of Hype
Alternative Tentacles
"Jello Biafra returns with a new band and new music! With members of Faith No More and Victims Family. Psyched, politically charged punk by one of the inventors of the form"

Rio En Medio
Frontier (Deluxe Edition CD)
Manimal Vinyl
“Captivating....Part cosmic fun house, part haunted house, [Frontier] keeps you on your toes, waiting to see if the next song will amuse you, entrance you, or scare you silly. Or all three." - Pitchfork

Alan MX
Warpsichord
Smalltown America
Staggering work of heartbreaking electro genius - debut album by Britain's soon to be not best kept secret Alan MX. For Fans Of: Bjork, Matmos, Peaches, PJ Harvey & Vincent Gallo.

Thee Vicars
Psychotic Beats !
Dirty Water
Their manic energy is palpable, it hits you with a jolt – but that should be the case with teenagers playing raw rock’n’roll shot through with a punk and garage band aesthetic.

Josephine Foster
Graphic as a Star
Fire Records
Based upon the poems of the 19th century American poet Emily Dickenson, Josephine lays her stairsteppy melodies beneath a collection of Dickenson gems & sings them with a burnished soulfulness like the purple sunsets so often described in the poems.”

Rainbow Arabia
Kabukimono
Manimal Vinyl
"Intoxicated dance music made out of dervish rhythms, snakish melodica, and percussion procured from the labyrinthine corridors of some smoky souk." The Guardian

Glass Ghost
Idol Omen
Western Vinyl
The birth of a new musical force with influences from J. Dilla to Deerhoof. Contributions from Luke Temple of Here We Go Magic has "..that irresistible, disjointed mix of pop hooks & Beefheartian abandon" Village Voice.

Katy Carr
Coquette
Deluce
Coquette is Katy Carr’s third album. Infused with recall & reminiscence, it is a character-driven tour-de-force of emotional intrigue, surrender and defiance. ‘Alt-folk star in waiting.’ ****Q ‘Elegant and sensual.’ Mojo ****

Nat Johnson & The Figureheads
Roman Radio
Damaged Goods
Nat Johnson’s (Ex - Monkey Swallows The Universe) critically acclaimed debut solo album, includes the Steve Lamacq single of the week ‘Dirty Rotten Soul’ and the new single ‘Wonderful Emergency’

Beak
Beak
Invada CD
Debut album from new Bristol band who consist of Geoff Barrow (Portishead) / Billy Fuller (Fuzz Against Junk) / Matt Williams (Team Brick) . Referencing Krautrock / Silver Apples /Stereolab , the album was recorded live over a 12 day period. Beak will playing live in the UK in December including a performance at ATP

Cargo Collective October 2009

Black Heart Procession
Six
The finest and most emotionally resonant album from this dark, legendary and highly influential American doom-folk group.
Temporary Residence - Ltd LP / CD

Close Lobsters
Forever Until Victory
The Singles Collection: re-assembled & re-engineered in summer 2008 in the environs of Glasgow & Paisley - at the epicentre of the Close Lobsters universe. The leitmotif of this collection is aphoristic - Be Bold & Mighty Forces will Come to your Aid.
Fire Records - CD

The Slits
Trapped Animal
30 years since the groundbreaking Debut Cut The Slits return. Featuring original members Ari Up & Tessa Pollit. The Slits became a part of the punk pantheon with songs that even today continue to be meditations on alienation & angst.
Sweet Nothing - LP / CD

Hefner
We Love the City
Hefner's commercial and creative peak is re-issued and expanded to 39 tracks over 2 CDs. Beautiful Urban meloncholy from the John Peel faves.
Belka - 2CD

The Jim Jones Revue
Here To Save Your Soul
Here To Save Your Soul collects all the singles to date by The Jim Jones Revue in a mini-album available for the first time in physical format (LP/CD) including the brand new AA single "Burning Your House Down / Elemental".
Punk Rock Blues - CD

The Wolfmen
Married To The Eiffel Tower
Marco Pirroni & Chris Constantinou, are also known as Wolfmen. The new album features Sinead O'Connor and is blessed with the Midas production touch of Courtney Taylor-Taylor from The Dandy Warhols !
Howl - CD

Hecuba
Paradise
Glorious sci-fi inspired, Greek tragedy electronic love songs with a feel totally individual from the rest of the fast growing Los Angeles Manimal Vinyl family - Dazed and Confused
Manimal Vinyl Records - LP/ CD

The Assassinations
Future Blasts from the Past
Cultural time machine that bears the traces of all Barakats inspirators. Sun Ra and the Plasmatics, Burroughs and Celine, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Gun Club. Musique concrete meets punk and blues. Hard rock meets free jazz and garage rock collides with library music.
Hashishin - CD

Mission Of Burma
The Sound The Speed the Light
Mission Of Burmas fourth LP is a departure from the pinned-needles roar of 2006s The Obliterati. Far more spacious and dynamic but it remains as exhilarating and fulfilling as ever.
Matador US - LP / CD

The Wildebeests
The Gnus of Gnaverone
A garage-rocknroll supergroup featuring members of The Milkshakes, Masonics, Holly Golightly Band, Thanes, and Kaisers with the best, most toe-tapping, garage-beat sounds in the world!
Dirty Water Records - LP / CD

N.A.M.B
BMAN
"A magnificent multi-layered epic adventure concept album about a little robot named BMAN. Comes with 100-page book of illustrations. RIYL Flaming Lips, Nine-Inch Nails, Animal Collective..."
Monotreme - CD

Rose Melberg
Home Made Ship
Third solo lp from indiepop legend of gently crafted intensely personal sugar voiced indie folk heartache on WIAIWYA. Similar to her work with previous bands Tiger Trap and The Softies.
Where Its At Is Where You Are - CD

Cargo Collective September 2009

Young Playthings - In Cargo Collective: June 09

ASIWYFA - In Cargo Collective: April 09

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

We Rock Like Girls Don't
How Did It Get To This
Distort - CD
Electrifying female rock'n'roll duo's thrillingly ferocious debut. "The kind of awesome rock record we don't hear often enough" 8/10 NME. " the album they've always threatened" Organ CD of the week

I Monster
A Dense Swarm of Ancient Stars
Twins Of Evil - CD/Limited edition LP + Bonus 7”
The full I Monster artillery has been employed. Ranging from vintage keyboards through traditional bass, guitars, drums, sax, flutes and percussion to the modern computer. Joyous offbeam kaleidoscopic pop.

And So I Watch You From Afar
And So I Watch You From Afar
Smalltown America - CD
Debut album from Belfast, punk-post-rock quartet: heavy, huge and hopeful. For fans of Fugazi, Sigur Ros and DJ Shadow.

Jeremy Jay
Slow Dance
K Records CD/ LP
Jeremy Jay’s new album “Slow Dance” is a romance of dreams and realities, full colors and disco lights. Listeners are invited to the dance floor with a whisper.

Jeniferever
Spring Tides
Monotreme – CD
Sweden’s Jeniferever return with second album of shimmering aural landscapes and poetically poignant lyrics. As heartfelt and beautiful an album as you are likely to hear all year.

Fridge
Early Output
Temporary Residence - CD
Groundbreaking experimental rock trio featuring Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) & Adem collects their finest moments from their early years. Includes 6 previously unreleased tracks!

Henry's Funeral Shoe
Everything's For Sale
Alive records - CD/ LP
Great primitive psychedelic blues from South Wales brought to you by the same label that released the debut albums of the Black Keys, Two Gallants.

Muck & The Mires
Hypnotic
Dirty Water Records - CD/ LP (with 3D glasses!)
Winner of Little Steven's Battle of the Bands competition and produced by the legendary Kim Fowley, this is hook-laden Hamburg Beatles meets the Ramones garage punk.

Roxy Epoxy & The Rebound
Band Aids on Bullet Holes
Damaged Goods - CD/ LP
Debut solo album from The EPOXIES lead singer Roxy, the love child of Gary Numan & Siouxsie if there ever was one, punk electronica for the masses!

Caroline Weeks
Songs for Edna
Manimal Vinyl - CD/ LP
The debut from Bat for Lashes multi-instrumentalist, Caroline Weeks once known as Ginger Lee. 9 tracks of minimalist UK folk, with lyrics borrowed from the late American poet, Edna St. Vincent-Millay.

The Chatham Singers
Juju Claudius
Damaged Goods - CD/ LP
Second album from Billy Childish’s delta blues outfit, features the single ‘An Image Of You’ and features special guests James Taylor and Graham Coxon on a few tracks.

Butcher Boy
React Or Die
How Does I Feel To Be Loved - CD
Second album by indiepop octet from Glasgow. Features Radclife and Maconie Record Of The Week. "A classy record from start to finish" -Stuart Murdoch, Belle & Sebastian.